Shipping container



July 15, 1952 H. H. STRAUSS SHIPPING CONTAINER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1949 INVENTORZ ns ATTORNEYS.

July 15, 19 H. H. STRAUSS SHIPPING CONTAINER 5 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed April 1, 1949 INVENTORZ Mam,

@cfmyczww HIS ATTORN $5.

H. H. STRAUSS SHIPPING CONTAINER.

July 15, 1952- Filed A ril 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORI M/GKW i u/adu w HIS ATTORNEYS.

- Patented July 15, 1952 2,603,401 SHIPPING CONTAINER Herman H. Strauss, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Gaylord Container Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Maryland Application April 1, 1949, Serial No. 84,997

This invention relates to heavy duty shipping containers, particularly folded-blank or cartons of the kind comprising a multi-sided tubular body and a separate endclosure disc fitting in one or each end of said tubular-body and supported and/ or retained therein by internal hollow ledge sections formed by inwardly folded marginal flaps of the side wall panels thereof.-

The principal-object of the present invention is to provide for automatically and irreversibly locking said hollow ledge sections together at their adjacent ends to form a continuous hollow inner peripheral supporting and/or retaining ledge for the end closure. Another object is to provide a continuous hollow ledge having a crosssectional shape which'willgreatly increase the strength and rigidity of the ledge and the carton. Another object is to shape and arrange the 2 Claims. (01. 229-5.5)

folded ledge forming sections so that they can- I not be unfolded without'damaging or destroying the carton.

According to the present invention, the side wall panel flaps at one or each end of the carton are folded inwardly along the three spaced parallel score lines into said end of said carton to form on the innersides of said panels hollow ledge sections of substantially right-angled triangular cross-section, with the two right angularly disposed sides of the triangle positioned one fiatwise against said panels and the other normal thereto and facing inwardly away from said end ofsaid carton and with the third side or hypotenuse of the triangle facing outwardly towards said end. The flaps are shaped so that the hollow right- I angled triangular ledge sections formed thereby are automatically and irreversibly interlocked one with the" other at their adjacent ends to form a rigid, continuous inner peripheral ledge for stiffening and strengthenin the carton and supporting and/or retaining the end closure therein. The invention is applicable to containers of various types and of square, rectangular, triangular or polygon shape.

The invention is more fully explained'by reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shipping container-embodying my invention, I

Fig; 2 is a top plan view of said container,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 in Fig 1 V Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the upper end portion of the con tainer at one side thereof, i

. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view ofthe upper portion of the container, showing the manner of folding of the closure retaining flaps therein,

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the blank from which the tubular body of the container is formed,

Fig. 8 is'an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the blank, showing the notched ends ofadjacent closure retaining flaps,

"Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end view of the carton, showing the portion of the last fiap before it is snapped between the finally positioned flaps at opposite ends thereof not shown.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a container of polygonal form constructed in accordance'with my invention,

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the modified container shown in Fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line [2-4 2 in Fig. 10,

Fig. 13 is' a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on line [3-13 in Fig. 12,

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the blank from which the tubular body of the modified form of container is formed:

Fig. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the blank shownin Fig. 13, showing the notched ends of adjacent closure retaining flaps;

and

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary end view of the modified carton, showing the position'of the last fiap before it is snapped between the finally positioned flaps at opposite ends thereof.

In Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, of the'accompanying drawings my invention is shown embodied in the heavy duty shipping container comprising a; multi-sided tubular open-ended body A and an end closure disc B fitting therein adjacent to each end thereof, said tubular body and end'closures being preferably made of corrugated board, fiberboard, or like material. The tubular body of the container or carton is divided by vertical creases or scores I into four 'side wall panelsZ and is made from a flat blank having a flap 3 at one end that overlaps and is permanently secured by staples 4 or tape to the opposite end by three spaced parallel horizontal score lines- 6, 6a and 6b, respectively, into an inner marginal panel 1, an intermediate panel 8 and an outer marginal panel 9. As shown in Fig. '7, a V- shaped notch I is formed in each end of each of the upper and lower marginal flaps of each side wall panel 2. One side of each V-shaped notch l0 extends from the score line 6 to the score line 6a thereby providing the inner marginal panel i with an oblique-angled end II; and the other side'oi said notch extendsfrom the score line So to the score line 6b, thereby pro- 5 viding the intermediate panel 8 with an obliqueangled end l2. The outer marginal panel '9 of the fiaps 5 is provided with square or right-angled ends l3.

The flaps 5 at each end of the tubular body A of the container or cartonareeach bent progressively inwardly into said end along the score lines 6, 6a and 6b to form ahollow horizontally disposed ledge section C of substantially rightangled triangular cross-section on theinsid'eface of the side wall panel 2 which carries said flap.

1 vIn'this'folded ledgeforming-position of each flap 5, the panels 8 and 9 thereof form the two right angularly disposed sides of thelrib section C, whilethe---panel I-formsthe hypotenuse or inclinedthird side-thereof. As-shown in the draw;

' fings the :ledge section 0 ie-positioned with the panel 9 seated -flatwise :againstthe corresponding 1:.isideiwallpanel 2 of the carton,-=with the panel 2 :lhdisposed horizontally or extending normal to said side panel andffacing inwardly'awayirom the adjacent end" of said car-ton; and with the siinclined panel :1 facing outwardly towardsaid :end: iTheirerticallpanel 9 of. -the..-hol1ow;-rightangled triangular-Hedgetsection: C is zpositioned a :with: itszupperz: edgezsnuglyaseated in ithe'i-vertex of rthe1acute;angle;formed by. the; inclined panel I of said ledge section and the correspondingside :ri-Wall panel 2 of .theJcarton.

The score lines 6, 6a.and.6b of each ofitheqfiaps i '5 arerspaced so that"the:hollowrrightangled trie angular ledge section (If formed by=the folde'd flap has its inwardly inclined outwardlyfacing panel I disposed at aniacuteiangle off-approximately ,5 42 to panel 59; positionedtfiatwise? against side iwall panel 2; The oblique-angledends I I: of the inwardly inclined outwardlyifacingpanels .I of

' if'adjacent .hollow vtriangular ledgens'ections-C are i nclined'at-an angle thatwilli'bring. said ends. into :conte'rnlinous" endwiseuab'utting relatio'nlr; The

oblique-angled ends l2 of the inwardlyf-facing panels 28 of 'adjacent;ledge sections are: also inclined at antangle thatjwillbring said ends into -;-conterminous .endwise abuttin relation; The

square or;right:angledj.endsl3 ofuthervertical 'iia'panels -.of:the: adjacent-hollow i-triangulari ledge ectionsjCare also disposed 'inconterminous end- :wise :abuttingrelation. Byr this arrangement the ledge-gsection's G- ;are :rigidly irreversibly ii-nterzalocked'inflend' torend relation inthe iendiof the ubularzbody. A of the: carton to :form therein ightqa'ngled triangular. cross-section. The upper nd lower-end. cljosuriesdisks 'Bgsnugly fit within ':j cont-in,uous hollow;-right-angledledgesat said :ends the lowermost end closure disk-seating on :thethorizontalpanel8 of the-lower ledge; while the uppermostendclosure disk is-supported on the contents of the carton with its marginal por- 1--tion overlapped by and in position to seat-flatwise r -I-n--formin the; continuous" internal peripheral 1: ;hollow right-angledtriangularledge in each end v:- of the tubular bodyiA ofthecarton; one marginal :continuousiinternalg'peripheral'ledge of-zhollow .hetubular-body Afof-the carton inwardly of the I --i::against-the horizontal panel '8 of I the-uppermost flap 5 at said end is first folded along the score lines 6a and 6b to form the hollow right-angled triangular ledge section, after which said flap is folded along the score line 6 to bring said section 5 into its final position in the end of the carton The next adjacent flap 5 is then folded in a similar manner along its score lines 6a and 6b thereof 'to' form: the ledgeisectiodwhich will extend over the adjacent end of the'first ledge section. 10 This second flap is then folded inwardly along its score line 6 to cause the ledge section there- "'01" .to snap or spring over the adjacent end of the finally positioned first ledge section with the --"adjacent'ends 0 fthe two finally positioned rib '15J'1S6Qlii0ll3infimfierminous endwise abutting relation*."Theremaining flaps are folded and snapped (into final position in a similar manner. The last flap, however, when folded along the score lines Ga-and 6b to form the triangular rib section overlaps the ends of the adjacent finally positioned "iledge. sections -a tiopposite ends thereof; and this last: ledge *section when" folded :inwardly at score line 6* into its-final positionsnaps over theiends of the finally positioned ledge section at opposite ends thereof thus completing the continuous internal peripheral hollow right-angled triangular ledge' and -irreversibly looking all of the T ledge forming se'ctionstogetheras a result of the abut- E ting rjoinlis between the en'dsrofthew-panels 1, 8 1'and'9 of adjacent-ribsection :Inethe modificationshownin Figsplll to '16 inaclusive, the tubularzbody of the car-ton:is of polygonalfshape and the six; side wall panels 2a=-have upper.andlowermarginalfiaps 5a that are simi- 5 '1 lat rtoeandraretfoldedtalong'score lines-s6; Ea and i 6b in @the same manner :as :themarginal flaps 5 of the-hereinbefore r-described "four-sided: acarton toformhollows right-angular triangular,.-1edge .v-forn ing ribs C of.--the=samecross-se'ctional:shape 40f andssize as -the :ledge forming rribs C of rthe foursided carton. In this six-sided carton'construc- :tion; the :V-ishaped notches 1 0a; with -ends'of the ec'fiaps; :5ar have their-sides disposed at :the parv ticulartangles-required to-provide their-panels I uwitheoblique angleduends ll Ia and" the epanels awith-loblique-angledends sl2asothat the-ends i. of: the panels 1 .of adjacentledge formingsections C-Gz-and thezlends of the panels 8 thereofare .-.'-brought into-conterminousendwiseabutting re- -lation to form wedge; joints for locking theledge sections together to form a continuous internal ledge of hollowaright-angledtriangular section. Within-the limits ofrthe-ztensile strength of .7 the bendable-material of which the carton isconstructed ,increasedvweight of .lading ,imore ef- .----fectually interlock-stile hollow ledge sections into ,--a continuous irreversible-support and/or retainer 's forthe v end closures Ofgthfl carton.- Substantially V 1 equal; distribution ofggtheiweight of n the 'lading '--betWeen-1the; supporting;,'1egs of the triangular ledge ;-sec-tionsand maximum strength .1 thereof is F iattained'when the acute angle opposite'the'horizontal side of the right triangular cross-section is; approximately 4221.'-"Whi18, thiszan le; may be ,zvaried within reasonable limits; increasing or de- *creasing :the angle, tends -to.- unequally distribute '-the, weight-between the supporting elementswith --.corresponding-impairment of ribrstrength; The right triangular cross-sectional shape of theledge elements-with the acute angle of approximately 42?;topposite' the horizontal side-is common, to all polygonal receptacles regardless of size; 4 Pine-described right triangular ledge section with the lesser :acute angle ofx-about 42; results from a specific spacing" of the score: lines, on the tion.

marginal flaps along which the flaps are progressively folded.w The scores 6, 6a and 6b are spaced apart in the ratio of approximately 1.4995,

1.1106, 1.000,f respectively, measured on the meledge sections results from the novel angular I construction of the scored marignal flaps. Each fold of the flaps is slotted or slit and cut out in such manner that when the flap is folded into its ultimate position with respect to the side wall panel, the plane of the end of each side of each right triangular hollow ledge section thus formed will be in conterminous end abutment with the corresponding side of the continguous ledge sec- The angular cutouts and slots or slits in gonal or all polygonal type receptacles regardless of variations in diameter or size of panels within each class. The novel geometric design of the cutouts is arrived at by (l) slotting or slitting the marginal flaps vertically along the median plane of the side wall'score lines I to the intersection of the median plane of flap score 612, (2) determining the angle of the cutting line which is to extend from the flap score 61) to the flap score 6a. This angle is derived from the formula in which N is the number of side walls of the receptacle. This cut is carried from the intersection of the median planes of the vertical slot or slit and the flap score 62) to the median plane of the flap score Ba, thence to the intersection of the median planes of the flap score 6 and the vertical side panel score I. I

This cutout with the corresponding reversed cutout of the contiguous flap invariably. forms two isosceles triangles having a common base along the median line of the second score, irrespective of the number of sides of the receptacle.

I To illustrate, the cutting line for a square or rectangular receptacle, will be--- The base angle of the triangle between the scores 6a and 61) will be approximately 60 and the apex angle approximately 60 while the base angle of the marginal flaps'are constant for all square, hexathe triangle between the scores 6 and 6a will be. approximately 665 and the apexangle approximately 47. v

This geometric cutout design results in the conterminous end abutment of each fold of each marginal flapwith' the corresponding fold of the contiguous marignal flap when said flaps are "folded into their final position, and-is an essential featureof the invention.

The novelty, therefore, of the invention comprises the construction and assembly-of thelfclds of the marignal flaps ofithe :container; which in their ultimate position form a continuous hollow rib of right triangular cross section in: combina- 'tion an'd'inflcooperation with thedesign'of cutouts and slots or slits in 'said flaps whereby upon xfoldingieach'rib 'sectionintdits described triangular form, it rests upon 'and projects over the two 'adj'acent'folded flaps by a substantial margin andmay be snapped into its final place, com- 'pleting the'conti'nuoushollow sup-portingperipheral rib and automatically and irreversibly locking all of saidrib elementssecur'ely in place.

' The hereinbefore described carton construction has several important advantages. It provides a'strong and durable pilferproof and substantially "sift-proof carton of simple andeconomical construction for packaging a wide variety of materials or articles. The body flaps may be quickly and easily folded and automatically and irreversibly locked together to form strong and rigid continuous hollow end closure retaining and/or supporting ledges for the end closure disks. The right-angled triangular cross-sectiona1 shape of the ledges greatly increases the strength and rigidity thereof; and the beveled ends of adjacent end and intermediate panels of the triangularly folded ledge forming flaps match together perfectly along lines bisecting the angle of junction thereof to form wedge or miter joints which prevent the flaps from being unfolded without destroying or damaging them. The in-' vention is applicable to cartons of square, rectangular, triangular or polygonal shape merely ing flaps.

by varying the angularity of the sides of the V-shaped notches in the ends of the ledge form- The size of the hollow right-angled triangular cross-section of the ledges may be varied by varying the width and score line spacing of the ledge forming flaps. The angular-ity of the sides of the V-shaped notches remains constant for a carton having a given number of sides regardless of the diameter of the carton.

If desired, the top and bottom closure of the carton may be glued to the hollow inner peripheral right triangular cross-sectional supporting ledge to provide a completely siftproof package. These top and bottom closures may be made of wood, metal or suitable material to provide increased strength where required and desired.

What I claim is: Y

1. A shipping container comprising a tubular body having a plurality of connected together side wall panels, an extension of each panel constituting a similar hollow ledge sectionpolygonal in cross section consisting of connected together panels with one panel thereof folded in face-contacting relation to the body panel of which it is an extension, the said one panel constituting the outer wall of said hollow ledge section,- the said ledge sections being disposed inwardly of the body panel-at the interior: j-unctures of thesconnacted; :body panels and having. the remaining ledge panels with their edges extending gangularly inwardly .away rfr'om: the body panels; the: adjacent. panel-ends of the ledge sections'forming. a fixe'd:miter:point at thejunctures of the ibodyiand ledgeipanels with the said vertical edges and-the said: angularly inwardly extending edegs' in contacting relationship; and. :the "saidr contacting edgesisolelyiforming :the said-fixed joint forzpreventing. displacement 'of anyone or all of the -ledge sectionswelativet to each o'ther and :to the body. f ,v

2.. A shipping container? comprising i a tubular body having a plurality: :of 1 connected together 7 side wall panels; anextensi'oni of' each. panel canstituting asimilar hollow ledge section triangular in cross section consisting of three connecteditogether panels with one panel thereof folded in face-contactingrelation to the-body panehcf which it is l an extension, :the' saidone .panelhconstituting the'couteriwall of said-hollow ledgesection, the said ledge: s'ections bein'g disposed'inwardly of the body "at one end thereof to form a continuous ledge for'an end closure, the oppo- -site unconnected ends 61 each ledge section having a vertical edge on said onepanel facing an adjacent body panel at the interior junctures of tacting edges solely formingthe said fixed joint for preventing displacementof any one or, all of the ledge sections relative to each other andto the body.

HERMANI-I. STRAUSS.

s 7 REFERENCES. CITED The following :referencesare of record in the file of thispatentzr UNITED STATES] PATENTS Date Number 1 Name 1,262,508 Kaufman 'Apr. 9,1918 1,926,941 Gomes Sept. 12,1933 2,398,404 Brooks Apr. 16, 1946 2,398,4105v BI'OOkS APR-16, 1946 2,450,110

Brooks Sept. 28,- 1948 

